Locked out of my Codespace due to unclear billing — no way to pay, no way to continue

[antipin52]

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Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out to share a frustrating experience in the hope that someone from the community — or ideally GitHub staff — can help or at least acknowledge this issue.

I’ve been actively developing a project using GitHub Codespaces and have written a significant amount of code that represents days of work and deep focus. However, due to what seems to be a billing issue, my Codespace was locked.

The biggest problem is: there is no visible, accessible way to resolve this by paying. There’s no “resume subscription” or “pay now” button. I’m literally ready and willing to pay for the service, but I’m not even being given that option.

It feels like my access is being blocked not because I failed to pay — but because the system doesn't provide a clear path to resolve the situation. And in the meantime, my code is effectively held hostage.

If GitHub truly values developers and the intellectual work we invest into our projects, it’s crucial to offer a user-friendly way to resolve billing issues — not just cut off access without recourse.

Has anyone else experienced something similar? I’d really appreciate any advice or visibility on this issue. Right now, it feels like I'm being punished not for not paying, but for trying to pay and not being allowed to.

Thanks for reading.

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[antipin52]

Thank you for the response.

I’d like to respectfully underscore that this is not just a long-term product suggestion — it’s a time-sensitive blocker that is putting my work and months of effort at risk.

While I’ve been actively using GitHub in the past week, I’ve actually been working on my product — called Focus — for much longer. A large part of my development has happened inside Codespaces, and now I’m completely locked out of that environment.

Here's the full error I see:
❗ “Похоже, у вас возникли проблемы с оплатой. Измените настройки оплаты, чтобы продолжить использование Codespaces.”
(Roughly: “It looks like there’s a payment issue. Please update your payment settings to continue using Codespaces.”)

However, there is no visible way to fix this. No payment option, no “retry”, no “continue” button — just a red banner.

I’m willing and ready to pay, but the system doesn’t let me. It’s like my intellectual work is being held behind glass — and I have no access or control.

I know features take time, and you have a roadmap — but please understand: I can’t wait for a 5- or 10-year release cycle just to get back into my own code.

Is there a temporary workaround, even manual assistance, that can help restore access? I'm happy to provide any additional info needed.

I really hope this gets visibility — not just for me, but for others who might run into the same dead-end. Thank you for listening.

[antipin52]

Thank you

[Chamath-Adithya]

Hi! I completely understand your frustration; this has been a pain point for several Codespaces users. From what I’ve seen

1. Billing lockouts in Codespaces usually occur if GitHub cannot process the subscription payment (card declined, account issue, or region restriction). Unfortunately, there isn’t currently a “pay now” button once the Codespace is suspended.

2. Immediate workaround: You can try opening a new Codespace on the same repository under a different GitHub account or payment method. While it’s not ideal, it can temporarily unblock access to your code.

3. Getting GitHub staff involved: The fastest way is to submit a support request directly through [GitHub Support](https://support.github.com/contact) and select Billing & Plans → Codespaces. Make sure to mention clearly:

• The Codespace you were using
• That you’re ready to pay
• That there’s no option to resume your subscription

4. Proactive prevention: For critical work, consider cloning the Codespace repository to your local machine or using git backups frequently. That way, even if Codespaces access is suspended, your code is safe.

It’s definitely a frustrating experience, and I hope GitHub updates this flow soon so users can resume Codespaces without being locked out.